Great differences of opinion exist among commentators as to the strict meaning of the word rendered daily. The principal explanations are the following:

1. From ἐπιέναι, to come on. Hence,

a. The coming, or to-morrow's bread.

b. Daily: regarding the days in their future succession.

c. Continual.

d. Yet to come, applied to Christ, the Bread of life, who is to come hereafter.

2. From ἐπί and οὐσία, being. Hence,

a. For our sustenance (physical), and so necessary.

b. For our essential life (spiritual).

c. Above all being, hence pre-eminent, excellent.

d. Abundant.

It would be profitless to the English reader to go into the discussion. A scholar is quoted as saying that the term is "the rack of theologians and grammarians." A satisfactory discussion must assume the reader's knowledge of Greek. Those who are interested in the question will find it treated by Tholuck ("Sermon on the Mount"), and also very exhaustively by Bishop Lightfoot ("On a Fresh Revision of the New Testament"). The latter adopts the derivation from ἐπιέναι, to come on, and concludes by saying, "the familiar rendering, daily, which has prevailed uninterruptedly in the Western Church from the beginning, is a fairly adequate representation of the original; nor, indeed, does the English language furnish any one word which would answer the purpose so well." The rendering in the margin of Rev. is, our bread for the coming day. It is objected to this that it contradicts the Lord's precept in Mat 6:34 :, not to be anxious for the morrow. But the word does not necessarily mean the morrow. "If the prayer were said in the evening, no doubt it would mean the following day; but supposing it to be used before dawn, it would designate the day then breaking" (the coming day). "And further, if the command not to be anxious is tantamount to a prohibition against prayer for the object about which we are forbidden to be anxious, then not only must we not pray for to-morrow's food, but we must not pray for food at all; since the Lord bids us (Mat 6:25) not to be anxious for our life" (Lightfoot, condensed).

Rev. gives "bring us not," which, besides being a more accurate rendering of the word (εἰς, into, φέρω, to bear or bring), avoids the invidious hint of seducing or enticing which attaches to lead. James tells us that God does not tempt any man (Jam 1:13); but the circumstances of a man's life often, indeed always, involve possibilities of temptation. A caution is written even over the door of God's own house (Ecc 5:1). God also sends trials to prove and chasten us; but something may change the salutary power of trial into the corrupting power of evil solicitation; and that something, as James tells us (Jam 1:14), is our own evil desire. God tempteth no man; but "every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed." We pray, therefore, "suffer us not to be drawn away by our own lusts: keep us out of the power of our own evil hearts. Thou knowest our frame, and rememberest that we are dust. Remember our weakness. What thou imposest we would not shun. What thou dost not impose, keep us from seeking. Forbid that our evil desire should convert our temptable condition into actual temptation. Keep us out of situations in which, so far as we can judge, it would be beyond our present strength to keep from sinning." It is not a coward's prayer. No man is a coward for being afraid of his own heart. It marks the highest quality of courage to know what to be afraid of and to fear it. To pray that God will not bring us within the possibility of temptation, would be to ignore our manhood, or to pray to be taken out of the world. But we may pray, and will surely pray, the more keenly conscious we become of the weakness of our nature, that God will not suffer the trials of life to become temptations to evil.

Only here in New Testament. A very striking word to describe persistence. Lit., shamelessness. As related to prayer, it is illustrated in the case of Abraham's intercession for Sodom (Gen 18:23-33); and of the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mat 15:22-28).

The word for the asking of an inferior (Act 12:20; Act 3:2); and hence of man from God (Mat 7:7; Jam 1:5). Christ never uses the word of his own asking from the Father, but always ἐρωτῶ, as asking on equal terms. Martha shows her low conception of his person when she uses the term of his asking God (Joh 11:22).

Ask, seek, knock

"The three repetitions of the command are more than mere repetitions; since to seek is more than to ask, and to knock than to seek" (Trench, "Parables").

Only here in New Testament. Primarily with a sense of intent, purpose.

A house divided against itself falleth (οἶκος ἐπὶ οἶκον πίπτει)

Some make this an enlargement on the previous sentence - a more detailed description of the generals brought to desolation, and render house falleth upon house. So Rev., margin. It might be taken metaphorically: the divided kingdom is brought to desolation, and its families and households in their party strifes are brought to ruin. Wyc., and an house shall fall on an house. Tynd., one house shalt fall upon another.

Lit., his own. Ἀυλή is strictly the open court in front of a house: later, the court round which the house is built, and so applied to the house generally, as our door or roof. Rev., court; for there, in the open space, commanding the doors, he would mount guard.

Only here in New Testament. Primarily with a sense of intent, purpose.

A house divided against itself falleth (οἶκος ἐπὶ οἶκον πίπτει)

Some make this an enlargement on the previous sentence - a more detailed description of the generals brought to desolation, and render house falleth upon house. So Rev., margin. It might be taken metaphorically: the divided kingdom is brought to desolation, and its families and households in their party strifes are brought to ruin. Wyc., and an house shall fall on an house. Tynd., one house shalt fall upon another.

Lit., his own. Ἀυλή is strictly the open court in front of a house: later, the court round which the house is built, and so applied to the house generally, as our door or roof. Rev., court; for there, in the open space, commanding the doors, he would mount guard.

Rev., more literally, waterless. The haunts of evil spirits (Isa 13:21, Isa 13:22; Isa 34:14). By satyrs in these two passages are meant goblins shaped like goats, which were sacrificed to by some of the Israelites (Lev 17:7; Ch2 11:15); a remnant of the Egyptian worship of Mendes or Pan, who, under the figure of a goat, was worshipped by the Egyptians as the fertilizing principle in nature. In Isa 34:14, it is said "the screech-owl shall rest there." This is rendered in margin of A. V. and in the Rev., Old Testament, the night-monster (Hebrew, Lilith); and by Cheyne (Isaiah) night-fairy. The reference is to a popular superstition that Lilith, Adam's first wife, forsook him and became a demon which murdered young children and haunted desert places.

More correctly, as Rev., the lamp with its bright shining. Ἀστραπή means lightning: see Luk 10:18; and that is the usual meaning in classical Greek, though it occurs, rarely, of the light of a lamp. It is used here to emphasize the idea of moral illumination.

Only here in New Testament. Commentators differ as to the meaning, but generally reject that of the A. V. Rev., those things which are within. The meaning is, give alms of the contents of the cups and platters. Jesus is insisting upon inward righteousness as against pharisaic externalism, and says: "Your virtue consists in washing the outside, and making a respectable appearance. Cultivate rather the loving, brotherly spirit of inward righteousness, which will prompt you to give of the food which the vessels contain (that which is within) to your suffering brother." "Do you think it is enough to wash your hands before eating? There is a surer means. Let some poor man partake of your meats and wines" (Godet). So Bengel, Meyer, Alford. Compare Mat 9:13; Hos 6:6. Wyc., That thing that is over (i.e., remaining in the dishes) give ye alms.

Lit., the tombs, the unseen ones. The word ἄδηλος, unapparent, occurs only here and Co1 14:8, of the trumpet giving an uncertain sound.

That walk over (περιπατοῦντες)

The participle, and without the article; and therefore better, as they walk; walk about (περί) on their daily business. In Matthew the sepulchres are whitened, that men may see them and avoid ceremonial defilement. Here they are not seen, and men walking on them are unconsciously defiled. See on Mat 23:27.

Only here in New Testament. From ἀπό, from, and στόμα, the mouth. Originally to dictate to a pupil what he is to learn by heart. Thus Plato:" When the grammar-master dictated (ἀποστοματίζοι) to you" ("Euthydemus," 276). Hence to catechize, with the idea of putting words into Christ's mouth, and making him say what they wanted him to say.